A New Beginning

Beyond The GreenIn Roman mythology there was a god who was the guardian of doorways. He had two faces on his head and could look backward and forward simultaneously.

He was the patrol of beginnings and endings, and in 46 B.C. Roman emperor, Julius Caesar introduced a new calendar and gave the first month of the year the name of this pagan god, Janus month or in Latin, Juanuarius from which we get our word "January."

Janus month has always been a time of endings and beginnings, when we have the feeling of making a fresh start or a clean slate.

We are obsessed with beginnings and endings.

They hold meaning for us, they fascinate us, we like them because they somehow magically make life simple, not so complex and overwhelming. It helps us place life into small compartments that are easier to deal with.

*We mark the beginning of a new year.
*The day a person is born.
*The day a person graduates from elem-j/high-HS and college.
*The day a person gets married.
*The day a person passes away.
*The day this very church was started.

And like the Greek mythological figure from which we get the name "January," we look backward and forward. We reminisce about how things were. But we also look forward to the future!

This time of the year is the time for those little gifts that you receive from your employer or your church. They are called Day Timers. We all have received one, or maybe even purchased one to hopefully get our lives and our time in order.

We keep dates of meetings, and all the good things that happen to us, etc., but we also keep our regrets for not taking that vacation we promised ourselves and family, and way to many things left undone. Even so, there was something nice about being able to set it aside and to say, "that was last year!" Now I have a clean slate. A new start. New possibilities. I have great expectations looking forward!

Now you may or may not have a Day Timer, but we all have memories in which we record the events of our lives. What will you record in your New Year's memory book? Do you plan to make changes?

Let God guide you to the changes he wants to make in your life! Just remember God doesn't love you for what you've done or what you will do, but because of what he did on the cross.

On the cross he forgave your past and gave you a future! Have a wonderful year and keep God in your plans because he loves you and more than anything, loves to share in the excitement of your life, as well as those not so excited times.

Remember, he is the completer of your life and he will never leave you.